In the field of television broadcasting, traffic systems are software and/or hardware packages that may be used, among other things, to schedule and sequence VCs intended for broadcast (e.g., over the air). To schedule VCs, a traffic manager may interact with the traffic system to create a traffic log (“log”). A log may indicate which VCs are intended to be broadcast during a particular time span, and further may indicate when each VC is intended to be broadcast. A log may include multiple log entries, with each log entry corresponding to one VC and scheduling data for that VC. The log therefore may represent the sequence of VCs intended to be broadcast during the time span.
A traffic system typically communicates with a master control system (MCS), which is the technical hub of a broadcast operation and is the final point before a VC is sent to an air-chain system for broadcast. More specifically, the traffic system typically communicates with an automation system (AS) of the MCS. The AS is the logic center of the MCS and may cause the MCS and/or another entity to perform various functions. Through a communication path, the traffic system may provide the log to the AS, such that the AS may traverse and select log entries according to their corresponding scheduling data. The AS may then cause the MCS and/or another entity to perform certain functions corresponding to each selected log entry. Such functions typically include the MCS retrieving from a data storage the VC corresponding to the log entry, channeling the VC through one or more entities within the MCS (e.g., through one or more switches), and sending the VC to an air-chain system for broadcast.